Kazuma and Charlotte made their way into Magnolia Town, a populous reaching as high as sixty thousand. The merchant city and the site of a few jobs Kazuma and Charlotte sought to take. There was money to be made here and the two of them aimed to achieve that. Rumor had it that there was a robbery, something of importance being the item stolen. Their “investigation” would lead the two of them to a hot spring, the two notably taking full advantage of the situation. They sat in the water, letting it ease away their troubles.

“You know we’ll have to go finish this quest at some point.” Charlotte said dreamily.

“Ten more minutes…” Kazuma said as he sank deeper into the water. In true to their form, ten minutes ended up lasting three hours. Eventually, the two of them got ready and they were off to find their contact. Talking to the officials at the hot spring, they were able to determine that a man named Tracy was their employer. The officials didn’t have much more information, as they just gave Tracy’s room number. It didn’t take long for the two to find the room as they knocked on the door and awaited a response.

“Who the hell is it?!” A voice boomed from the other side.

“Rude bitch.” Charlotte mumbled under his breath.

“We are from the beautiful guild known as Blue Pegasus. I hear you have a job offer lined up.”

Suddenly, the locks could be heard being unlatched as a man exits, his demeanor changing from one of anger and resentment to hopeful and impatient.

“Thank God you guys are here! There has been an absolute tragedy. My shoes were stolen and I need to get them back.”

“Fucking shoes?” Charlotte asks. “You are about to have us run around for some shoes?”

“They are designer shoes, custom made with my own initials in them. “T.S””

Kazuma, just like Charlotte, was a good deal annoyed. All of this effort, all of this potential work just for a pair of shoes? It was crazy, however, Kazuma sought something of profit. There was something else that could be done. A bit more lucrative.

“Fine. We’ll get your shoes back but you have to do something for us, aside from the reward money.”

Kazuma glances into the opened room, spying a kimono that catches his eye. It was big enough that some alterations could be made that would make it even more fitting for someone as beautiful as him and even have something left over to create Charlotte one to stop the bitching that would occur if he didn’t get one too. It wasn’t hard to realize that Tracy was loaded. Someone who had as much money as him could easily replace it.

“The Kimono in the back, I would like it.”

The man seemed hesitant, eventually relented. He desired the safe return of his shoes, the cost didn’t matter. With added reward in place, the two set out to find this culprit and deal with them.

The two searched the changing rooms to the spa for hours, frequently checking anyone and everyone who walked in or out but to no avail. They seemed to be getting nowhere and all parties grew impatient. The two sat down on a bench outside to collect their thoughts and perhaps regain a footing in the crime. Kazuma sat first with Charlotte perched atop his shoulder.

“How hard is it to find one ugly common criminal? Why can’t they just reveal themselves so I can get on with the pampering?”

Charlotte shoots a side glance with Kazuma, for once actually agreeing with him. It was tedious and they were both tired. They both laid back, intending to rest their eyes for a moment when they spotted them. The shoes with the initials “T.S.” casually walking away from them. They both quickly jumped up, started to see the employee working walking away.

“HEY!” they both called in unison as the employee turned to see them. There was an awkward moment of silence before the man took off with amazing speed.

His speed was admirable, but in the end it was futile. It was, however, to be expected. He wasn’t aware of Kazuma’s status as an Earth Dragon Slayer. Kazuma nods towards Charlotte, who uses Aera to fly towards the man. Taking a deep breath, the Earth Dragon Slayer slams his foot against the ground, the area the man was currently running on jutted out into the sky, lifting the man in the air. Quickly attempting to follow up, Kazuma activated the second part of his plan, hoping Charlotte would cover the rest.

“Earth Dragon’s Concealment!” He shouts as he quickly burrows his way into the ground, making at a quickened pace to catch up. Back in the air, Charlotte reaches the man as he begins his descent downward, rearing back to strike him with a full speed headbutt. The man groans in pain as he begins to fall faster downward, right towards an awaiting Kazuma who has already popped out of the ground. He waits until the man gets a bit closer before delivering a powerful arching kick, bringing him hard to ground and knocking him out cold.

From there, it was just a simple matter of returning the shoes to Tracy, who was eternally grateful for their efforts. The employee who stole them was fired on the spot and sent to jail, a fitting end one would suppose. As they walked through Magnolia, Kazuma and Charlotte admired their new kimonos which had just be tailed to their liking. Jewels was always great but the lavish gifts were the best.